


G'day Vienna

by aljohnson



Series: The YACI-verse (Modern AU) [5]
Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Confusion, Eurovision 2015, F/M, Humour, Modern AU, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 21:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3994240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aljohnson/pseuds/aljohnson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, Australia have been invited to compete. </p><p>The show airs very early on Sunday morning in Melbourne, but Phryne's determined she's not going to miss it.</p><p>*******************************************<br/>Continuing the adventures of Modern!Phryne and Jack in the YACI-verse. It helps if you have read the last chapter of 'here be Dragons' (part 2) first...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "And Good Morning Australia!"

Jack was in the lounge, carefully shifting the sofa and armchair to better face the huge plasma screen TV mounted above the fireplace. His phone buzzed and he pulled it from the back pocket of his jeans, swiping to see the text message:

 

_**Open the door Jerk** _

 

Jack furrowed his brow slightly and moved to the front door, opening it gingerly.

“Mac. Have we had a falling out I don’t know about?” Jack asked.

Mac looked at him in confusion. Jack held his phone up for her to read.

“Bloody autocorrect. Sorry Jack.”

“Just glad I haven’t done anything to offend. Come in, come in, get out of the cold.” Jack ushered Mac in, attempting to be as quiet as possible as he shut the door behind her.

“It’s a new phone. I haven’t a sodding clue how half of it works. What happened to the little instruction books you used to get?”

“I don’t know. I miss that. You can get them online. Get Phryne to show you, she found mine for me when I had my last upgrade.”

“Speaking of, where is the lady of the house?”

“Finalising her outfit, I believe. Can I take your coat?”

Mac shrugged off her overcoat, handing it to Jack. He was momentarily taken aback at the outfit she was wearing. Jack hung Mac’s coat in the hall cupboard before returning back to the lounge.

“Is that a soccer shirt?”

“It is.”

“And that’s, Sweden?”

“It is Jack.”

Jack raised an eyebrow in question.

“Maternal great-great-grandmother. I would of course naturally support Ireland, but Molly was robbed of a place in the final.”

“Of course she was” replied Jack, not certain of what at all Mac was on about.

He’d watched the two semifinals, on Friday evening and last night, but it had all been a bit of a blur. On Friday he’d been quite tired after a run of weeks at work which had been quite intense, and he’d sort of drifted off a little in the second hour. Last night he’d been more awake, but then Phryne had looked at him when San Marino’s entry had started performing, and he’d been overcome with the need to kiss her. They’d ended up softly kissing on the sofa until the feature about voting failures had aired.

Mac plonked herself down in the large armchair, adjusting her position until she was comfortable.

“Can I get you a drink? I’m putting some coffee on for myself.”

“Absolutely. I’ll put the TV on.” Mac reached for the remote control on the coffee table as Jack removed himself to the kitchen.

A few minutes later Jack returned to the lounge carrying a tray laid down with cups, saucers, a milk jug, teaspoons, dessert spoons, side plates and a large apple strudel.

“The coffee’s just finishing off. Mrs Butler made this.” Said Jack, indicting the strudel.

“I’ll save that for a little later. This is a marathon after all.”

“It is. Where’s Kate?”

“At home in bed. Her sleepy words to me as I tried to encourage her to come where ‘there is a reason they show it again tonight’, which I felt was not really in the spirit of the thing.”

“So are you allowed to tell her who wins?”

“Not if I value my life.”

Jack leaned against the arm of the sofa. “You know, I’d have thought you’d support the UK, isn’t your family Scottish?”

“They are Jack, mostly. There’s only a few Irish here and there, but supporting Ireland rather than the UK winds Phryne up no end.”

Jack acknowledged Mac’s comment with a tilt of his head and a small mischievous smile.

There was the sound of movement on the stairs and a moment later Phryne entered the room. Jack sucked in his breath. She was wearing jeans and a tight white long-sleeved top emblazoned with a Union Jack made of sequins.

“I take it one is being British this morning?” said Jack softly, a teasing tone in his voice.

“One is.” Smouldered Phryne. She moved over to Mac, and the pair embraced.

Phryne moved over to the sofa, sitting down carefully. “Ohh, strudel, Excellent.” Phryne leant forward and cut herself a big slice of the dessert.

“Starting early Phryne?” asked Mac.

Phryne shrugged and reached for a spoon.

“I’m making coffee.” Jack stated.

“Oh. Could I maybe have a decaf?” Phryne asked.

“Are you sure? The caffeine will keep you awake.” Jack replied.

“I’m good, I’m good. I think the adrenalin will keep me awake.” Phryne said.

Jack nodded and left the two women in the lounge once more.

“How’s work?” Phryne asked.

“Which one?” Mac snorted. “The hospital have got me doing some more consultancy, the University want me to take on some tutorial work and the morgue continues to have dead bodies delivered to it for examination. Speaking of which, how’s the agency?”

“Good. Good month for a lot of small but lucrative cases for clients who were relieved by our results, even if it wasn’t actually what they wanted to hear. We’ve had some repeat business as well, which is always encouraging.”

“Excellent. Is Jane joining us?”

“I think maybe later. You know what students are like; I didn’t even hear her come in last night.”

Jack came back into the room with a second tray. This one was laden with a coffee pot, a separate smaller cafetière for Phryne and a jug of water with some glasses.

“Did you hear Jane come in last night?” Phryne asked him.

“I heard the door open and close and the stairs creak. I don’t know what time it was though.”

“Well at least she’s made it home. Ooh, it’s starting, Mac, turn it up” Phryne focused her attention on the screen. As the prelude from Te Deum started to play Mac and Phryne joined in, a series of “der der ders” issuing forth from their mouths. Phryne conducted with her strudel spoon and Mac laughed loudly at the end, as the strains of an orchestra playing Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ grew in volume, the lush landscape of a Viennese park as a backdrop. Then came the opening titles, and a long introduction featuring Conchita, the hosts, a choir and a brief interlude of something Jack thought was maybe a kind of rap. Jack busied himself with the coffee.

“Are you ‘live Tweeting’ this?” Jack asked, turning to Phryne.

“Oh, I would do, but my phone’s being a bit weird at the moment. Can you tweet, and I’ll make helpful suggestions as to what you should say?”

Jack looked confused. “Erm, OK. What’s wrong with your phone?”

“Oh it just keeps on turning itself off.”

“Is that why you’ve not been glued to it for the last week?” Jack said teasingly. “You’ve not had that one that long, do you need to have someone look at it?” he added.

“Hmm, yes, that’ll be why. I’m sure it’ll sort itself out in a few days.” Said Phryne, smiling, and taking a bite of her strudel. She chewed enthusiastically, and then more slowly before setting the plate down on the coffee table. “I think I’ll take my time with this too, “she added, “I mean, we have got three hours or so, haven’t we?”

Jack smiled at her and fiddled with his phone:

 

**With @only1Phryne and Mac for #ESC2015. Apparently I’m tweeting on P’s behalf!**

 

The first song was Slovenia’s entry. Jack thought the introduction was fine, he just wasn’t sure about the headphones. Or the air violin.

  


 

Fifth up was the United Kingdom.

 

**“Come on Electro Velvet” says @only1Phryne. And I was worried she might have #dividedloyalties #Eurovision**

 

“Ooh staircases. how 1974!” Said Mac

“They’re in tune,” said Phryne.

“Is that neon?” asked Jack.

“Whatever it is should carry a warning, I can tell you that.” added Mac.

“Well the arena seems to like it” said Phryne, tilting her head to one side to hear the background noise.

“Oohh, nice fireworks,” said Mac.

 

**Feeling in the room is that the performance went well for the UK. Will they get any top scores? #ESC2015**

 

“Are you tweeting of your own volition, Jack?” asked Phryne, licking her spoon as she finished her slice of strudel.

“Maybe. I do so occasionally you know.”

“Yes, what was it the other day? Something about the number of traffic violations in Mad Max?” said Phryne, with a wink.

“There were a lot. I still enjoyed it.” Jack smiled at Phryne, who furrowed her brow slightly.

“I’ll be back in a minute” she said, rising from the sofa and leaving the lounge.

“There’s already been quite a few ballads. Is that usual?” Jack asked Mac.

“It depends on the year Jack. I think this might be a ballad year. Which means the UK is either destined for greatness or ignominy.

Jack looked at the Lithuanian contestants. “Why are there only ever six people?”

“Ah, it’s the rules Jack. No more than six people. No more than three minutes for your song and everyone has to sing live.”

“My word, they’ve stopped singing to kiss!” Jack was taken aback.

He wasn’t a complete novice to Eurovision; he’d watched it the last few years with Phryne. They usually went to a party at someone’s house on the Sunday evening, but this year Phryne had insisted on watching live. Given the hour, very few people had taken them up on their open invite. They were supposed to be going to Ray’s house tonight. Jack thought he wouldn’t last long, given the early start to their day, and Phryne had been really tired the last few days anyway, so he wasn’t sure whether she’d actually want to go when it came to the evening.

  
  
  


“Excellent, my choice up next then” said Mac, with a smile.

“Mmm” nodded Phryne in agreement, taking another bite of her second slice of strudel. She stopped eating, “ooh, he’s cute!” she exclaimed.

Jack tried not to smile. He shook his head slightly. “Nice light things” he decided to add as his contribution. “More coffee Mac?”

Mac held her cup out towards Jack who re-filled it from the coffee pot.

“He has excellent teeth.” Phryne added, eating another spoonful of strudel.

“Good to see Swedish dentistry is obviously top notch,” replied Jack. Sitting back he observed Phryne as she continued to pay close attention to her apple dessert. He thought maybe tonight was an opportunity to ask her the question that had been nagging at him recently, even more so in the last week or so.

 

**“G’Day Vienna! Come on Guy” says Mac. Very gracious of her - she’s supporting Sweden, who apparently are one of the favourites! #Eurovision**

 

“Well we’re certainly getting into the spirit of it,” offered Jack.

“I’m not sure about those gold hotpants,” said Mac.

“I’m not sure anyone’s ever been sure about them.” added Phryne.

“This isn’t actually a bad song is it?” Mac said.

“How are we tipped to do?”

“Not as well as was thought about a month ago. What does Twitter think?” Mac asked, turning towards Jack.

“A fair few comparisons with Bruno Mars.” said Jack, scrolling through the Tweets.

“Could be worse,” offered Phryne, topping up her glass of water.

 

“Why is that piano on fire?” Jack asked.

“Why not?” said Mac. “It’s the most interesting part of this song.”

“So we can conclude that the Austrians don’t want to host again?” Phryne said.

  
  
  


“Oohh, firemen!” Phryne was excited now, polishing off her third slice of strudel as the Hungarian entrant's 'postcard' was shown.

“One, track, mind!” said Mac.

“Never as good as a copper’s uniform though,” Jack stated. “How many more are left?”

“This is twenty-two of twenty seven,” Phryne replied. "Then it’s the interval madness, then it’s the voting. I love the voting, it’s my favourite bit.”

“Yeah I gathered that when we were at Mac and Kate’s last year and you screamed at the screen asking ‘why only four points for us Malta, why?”

“I get very invested.”

“I can see that. Excellent T-shirt by the way.”

Phryne smiled at Jack. She loved him, very much. If nothing happened then change was coming for them, one way or another. The thought terrified her and Phryne rested her elbow on the arm of the sofa, propping her chin up as she tried not to think about it.

 

 


	2. Interval...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Interval Act at Eurovision lasts about fifteen minutes. It's all it takes for your life to change...

As Mirjam, Alice and Arabella excitedly announced that “The voting is open”, Mac took a long look at Phryne. There was plainly something going on. Jack was also being somewhat quiet, and seemed nervous, although Mac wasn’t sure why.

“So who are we all voting for?” asked Phryne.

“Sweden, obviously. You?” asked Mac.

“Le Royaume-Uni, naturellement,” said Phryne, in a French accent so perfect it sent a shiver of arousal down Jack’s spine, “et toi, Jacques?” she batted her eyelashes at him as she asked.

“Erm, Australia?” said Jack.

“We can’t vote for ourselves Jack, choose again.” Phryne said.

“Oh, erm, I don’t know then. How long do I have to think about it?”

“Just shy of fourteen minutes left.” Said Mac, mentally running through Phryne’s behaviour this morning and deciding something needed to be said. “Phryne, could I have a word?”

“Of course Mac.” Phryne sat forwards on the sofa, smiling brightly.

“In the kitchen.” Said Mac, rising from the armchair.

“Oh, certainly.” Said Phryne, standing up herself.

Jack looked between the women. “Do you want me to leave?” he asked.

“No, no Jack, you stay where you are. I’ll top up this jug of water.” Mac grabbed the jug and shuffled Phryne out of the lounge towards the kitchen.

 

 

Jack sat watching the recap with the voting numbers. He noted down the UK’s televoting number.

After the first minute of the interval act he sat forwards and rubbed his hands, considering the rough skin on his palms. Lowering the volume on the TV slightly, Jack carefully stood up. He peered around the corner of the lounge door and looked towards the kitchen. The door was shut. Flicking his eyes to the stairs, then back towards the kitchen, he made a judgement of how quickly he would need to move. He took a slow deep breath in and tip-toed to the stairs. Pausing again with one foot on the bottom stair, Jack leant back around the bottom of the staircase to check the kitchen door was still shut, and as quietly as he could manage, bolted up the stairs.

 

“You OK?” Mac asked.

Phryne frowned and pulled one of the sleeves over the heel of her hand, playing with the material lightly. “Yeah, fine Mac. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re not being yourself. It’s worrying. I’m worried about you.”

“Why? Nothing to worry about Mac, you know me, always absolutely fine.”

“You were struggling to stay awake before.”

“Well it is Seven Thirty on a Sunday morning Mac, I’m not usually up for several more hours.”

“So why drink decaf then?”

Phryne shrugged. “Well you’re not supposed to be dependent on caffeine are you? It’s not great for you, is it? You’re a doctor, you should know that.”

Mac huffed out a sigh. “You’ve been to the loo three times.”

“I’ve had a lot of that water, that’s why you need to refill the jug.”

“I’ve never known you go so long without checking your phone.”

“Well it’s playing up Mac, you heard me tell Jack that.”

“Hmm. I know you Phryne, if your phone started acting up you’d be in the phone shop begging them to get it fixed immediately.”

“Well maybe I’m trying to embrace a less technology dependent lifestyle?”

Mac tried to suppress a guffaw. She managed to merely effect choking instead.

Phryne had a sudden moment of inspiration, “Maybe I’m still run down from the strep throat?” she asked, perking up, almost hopefully.

“You did finish the course of antibiotics?”

“Of course I did Mac, you’ve nagged me enough about that over the years.”

“Hmm. Well look, I’m sure you’re right, but I’m still a bit worried about you. I’m going to get my bag from the car, and we’ll just give you a quick check over, yeah?” Mac smiled at her friend.

Phryne nodded as Mac opened the kitchen door and proceeded along the hallway.

 

 

Upstairs, Jack rooted in the top drawer of his chest of drawers. His fingers danced to the back, behind the boxes of cufflinks, the increasingly large selection of ties, a bow tie and a cummerbund, to the small item that Jack had carefully placed there five weeks earlier. Glancing at the closed bedroom door, as if Phryne might burst in and discover him, he curled his fingers around the crushed velvet and carefully withdrew the box. Nervously, and as if the contents might somehow have changed despite the fact that it had been only three hours since he last checked them, he prised open the lid, the old hinge scrapping slightly in protest at being disturbed once more.

The man in Keshett on Little Collins Street had done an excellent job of resizing the ring and professionally polishing it. Jack was grateful for the fact that Phryne had so much jewellery that she hadn’t noticed when Jack had borrowed one of her rings to get the size right. Phryne’s fingers were thankfully not too different in size to those of his late grandmother, so the work had not led to a noticeable thinning of the gold band. It was unusual; not a single diamond, as might be expected, but a row of three emeralds, with a diamond at either end. Jack wondered how long his grandfather had saved up for it.

It was perfect for Phryne, Jack thought. His gran had often told him it was a complete one-off, that grandfather had designed it just for her, himself. Jack wished has grandfather had lived long enough for Jack to really know him, all he had was a vague memory of a man who had seemed so old to a young boy. His gran he had many more memories of, and they’d spent a lot more time together after his dad…

Jack snapped back to the here and now. He moved to the room they used as a wardrobe, located across the hallway, creeping cautiously to avoid disturbing Jane or The Butlers. He stood in front of the full-length mirror and attempted to compose himself. He spoke to his own reflection, carefully. “Phryne, I love you. I am in love with you. I fall more in love with you every day. And I don’t want there to ever be a day when you don’t know that.” Jack paused. “Oh god, should I be on one knee? When do I offer her the ring? How do I offer her the ring? Do I leave it in the box? If I do, when do I open the box? If I take it out of the box, when do I do that?” Jack decided to try the options. He took a small step back from the mirror and practiced bending down on first one knee, then the other, trying to decide which felt more comfortable. Trying the different options with the ring before looking at himself he paused once more. He knelt back onto his bent leg, his gaze falling to the ring in the box in his hand. “This is daft. She’s going to say ‘no’. Of course she is. She’s being weird. She’s been quiet all week. She knows, somehow, and she’s trying to figure out how to say ‘No’. Why have we never talked about this? We should have talked about this. Why am I doing this to myself?” Jack paused once more before looking at himself once more, “I’m asking because I want to, because Phryne needs to know how I feel, and what I want. And because she always surprises me, so let’s hope she does so today, yeah?”

Jack stood up and brushed a hand down the leg of his jeans. He looked at the wardrobe behind him, and made a quick decision.

 

 

Mac shut the front door behind her as Jack came down the stairs. They both paused, looking at each other with suspicion and guilt.

“What are you doing?” Mac asked.

“Nothing. You?” answered Jack, stuffing the hand which was gripped around the ring box deeper into the pocket of his hoodie.

“Nothing” said Mac, attempting to hide her doctor’s case behind her legs.

The pair stood, Mac in the hall, Jack on the bottom step, appraising each other.

“What’s the bag for?” asked Jack, indicating Mac’s medical kit. “Is Phryne OK?”

“Yes. Just got something I want to show her.” said Mac, dodging the subject. She had a suspicion as to exactly what was going on with Phryne, but she needed to be certain. “What’s with the flag?” she asked, indicating the bunched material in Jack’s hand, the distinctive colour, the partial Union Jack and a partial white star quashing all doubt as to what it could be.

“Well If Phryne’s supporting the UK, and you’re supporting Sweden, I think it’s only right that someone demonstrates solid support for Australia. And I knew where this was.”

Mac looked at Jack. If she was right, he had no idea what was about to hit him. “Well aren’t we a veritable League of Nations?” Mac asked, allowing a Scottish lilt to present itself.

Jack took the last step down into the hallway. “Mac, is Phryne OK? I’m worried about her. She’s been really quiet for the last week. We went out on Thursday and she drove back really slowly.”

“Phryne drove slowly?”

“Yes. Well, at the speed limit. I didn’t even have to pretend not to notice."

“Well maybe she’s just learning to respect traffic laws?” Mac added ‘driving carefully’ to her mental list.

“We’d just seen Mad Max! It’s Phryne, Mac.” Jack went quiet, “Maybe I am just managing to get her to see that the rules are there for a reason?” he said, quietly, not really believing it himself.

“There you go you see, you’re a positive influence Jack.”

“I think there’s something I should ask her Mac, and I think she knows, but is it too soon? It doesn't feel too soon? At least not to me?” Jack was babbling. He didn’t know why he was talking to Mac about this. He hadn’t talked to anyone about this, except his mum, when he’d gone to ask her for the ring. He’d had to impress on his mum that he wasn’t even sure when he was going to ask, that he might change his mind and bring the heirloom back to her at some future point. His mum should definitely not drop any hints in Phryne’s direction when they were round for lunch, he wanted it to be a surprise. The ‘surprise’ angle had been remarkably effective in buying his mum’s silence.

Mac controlled her breathing. This was so typical of the two of them. They both knew something was happening, and neither of them would just get a grip and say anything. Mac knew Jack was a good detective, and he seemed to have figured this out too. Seemingly he had more idea of what was about to hit him than she had expected.

“I think, Jack, that sometimes, you have to just be brave enough to ask the question. Because then, whatever the answer is, at least you know, yeah?”

Jack nodded, his jaw tightening.

“Excellent. Now, go and claim the sofa for Australia, Phryne will want to know about the interval act.”

And with that Mac herded Jack into the lounge, shut the door behind him and returned to the kitchen.

 

**This interval act is ‘interesting’ isn’t it? More brass and drums than I'd anticipated #Eurovision**

  


 

“What are you doing?” asked Mac, placing her bag on the countertop.

“Just looking for something to eat.” Said Phryne, turning back from the open door of the fridge, where she had been scanning the shelves for anything that appealed.

“You’ve had three slices of strudel.”

“I’m a little hungry.” Replied Phryne, defensively.

“Hmm.” Replied Mac, adding that to the list in her head. “Right then, temperature. Over you come.” She said, patting one of the stools. Mac had determined that she needed to lull Phryne into a false sense of security. A direct confrontation was just the sort of approach that would lead to Phryne running straight back to the lounge in denial.

Phryne moved over and sat down. She opened her mouth to protest but Mac took the opportunity to shove the thermometer into Phryne’s mouth. “All a bit old school this, I’m afraid” Mac said. Unintelligible sounds came from Phryne’s mouth, but her displeasure was evident. After a suitable period of time had elapsed, Mac withdrew the thermometer and checked the scale. She nodded, in satisfaction, reaching in her bag for the blood pressure cuff.

As she rooted  in her bag for her stethoscope, placing it around her neck she nodded towards Phryne, who pushed the sleeve of her T-shirt up her arm. Mac wrapped the cuff around Phryne’s upper arm, fixing the Velcro in place, before placing the chestpiece on Phryne’s lower arm. Phryne winced as the cold metal met her skin. Mac fiddled with the air pump, flicking a glance towards Phryne as she did. Working quietly and diligently, Mac established that Phryne’s blood pressure was within an acceptable range.

“See, all fine.” Said Phryne brightly, as Mac ripped the velcro free and placed the item back in her bag. “Can we go back to the lounge now?”

“Not quite yet, Phryne.” Said Mac, making a judgement as to how quickly she could place herself between Phryne and the door if it came to it. She dug around in her bag once more, before producing a small cardboard box, and from within that, a foil wrapped item. She held it out towards Phryne.

Phryne looked at Mac, looked down at Mac’s hand, swallowed nervously, and briefly flicked her eyes shut and open before saying “And what’s that?”

“Do me a favour Phryne. Take this test.”

“No, no. I’m not. I’m definitely not.”

“So humour me then.” Mac said, a tone of challenge in her voice. Baiting Phryne was often a way to get her to do something she didn’t want to.

“No. Absolutely not.”

“If you’re so certain that you aren’t then it won’t do any harm will it? All you’ll be doing is putting me at ease. Proving me wrong. Showing yourself to be right.”

Phryne swallowed, her nostrils flaring. Mac wasn't going to give up on this. “Fine, but just to shut you up” replied Phryne, tartly, snapping the packet from Mac’s hand and storming off to the downstairs bathroom.

 

 

In the lounge the musical entertainment had changed:

**Quite enjoying this Conchita mini-concert though. Quite bouncy tunes. #Eurovision**

 

 

Mac stood in front of the door, watching the second hand on her watch sweep around the face. “Come on Phryne, you should be done by now.”

There was silence from beyond the door. “Come on Phryne” said Mac, drawing closer to the door and speaking more softly.

The lock turned and Phryne slowly opened the door. Her face was pale. She was running out of opportunities to deny the truth that she kept on being confronted with.

“Well?” asked Mac.

“Just how accurate are these?”

“Very”

Phryne nodded her head, “So whatever they say, is probably correct?”

“Yes.”

Phryne pulled her sleeve over her hand again. “So if this is the third one you’ve done, and they all said the same thing…”

“Then whatever they say is probably correct. Show me?” Mac reached her hand out for the small plastic stick Phryne was clutching to her chest. Phryne slowly held out her hand and Mac took the stick from her.

Raising an eyebrow, Mac asked, as gently as she could muster. “And have all three said the same thing?”

Phryne nodded, mutely. “When did you do the first one?” Mac asked.

“Last Sunday.”

“And the second?”

“Thursday.”

“And how many more were you planning on doing?” Mac asked in a slight tone of disbelief.

“Well you know I’ve never been good at exams Mac. I like to keep going until a get a result I want.”

“If all three have said the same, and given everything I’ve observed this morning, I think you have to accept the result you’ve got. So let’s sit down for a minute and face reality, yes?”

Phryne nodded once more, and Mac ushered her friend over to the stools once more. Phryne settled herself as Mac stayed silent. After a moment, Phryne spoke.

“I can’t Mac. I can’t be pregnant. Jack thinks he can’t. I’m too old. I’ve never even wanted children. I have no clue what I’m doing. I haven’t done any of the things you’re supposed to. I don’t even know what Folic Acid _is_. I ate some brie last week. What if I’ve, hurt it, somehow? We had really vigorous sex on the piano last week. Can that harm it?.”

“So. Options then. You don’t have to have it Phryne.” Mac said, as gently as she could.

“I don’t think I could do that to Jack. I don’t think I could do that myself, actually. I’ve, been thinking about it, and I just don’t think I can Mac. And I feel bad, because I am so vocally in support of women having that right.” Phryne sniffed, a tear threatening to make its presence known.

Mac took Phryne’s hand. “Just because that isn’t the choice you want to make, doesn’t mean you don’t support it as an option generally. You support me and Kate being able to get married, yeah?”

“Of course Mac, the law’s stupid. Even Ireland would let you get married, now, and they’re the most Catholic place in the world after the Vatican.”

“Indeed. But supporting that doesn’t mean you have to want to marry a woman yourself.”

Phryne nodded as she sniffed again.

“What’s Jack going to say?”

“I don’t want to pry too much Phryne. For example, I don’t even want to contemplate how you even have sex on a piano…”

“Well you sort of throw a leg over…”

“Stop! Anyway. Without prying,” Mac paused, there was no easy way to ask her best friend this question. Ploughing on through would have to do. “Is there any chance it isn’t Jack’s?”

“No! God no! Mac, I’d _never_. I promised him that. I’d never… I mean that’d kill him, after Rosie.” Phryne crinkled her forehead, a sudden thought occurring to her. She grabbed Mac’s arm in panic. “Oh god, what if he doesn’t believe it’s his? He is so sure he can’t.”

“Well, how far did they get with finding out why it wasn’t happening for them?”

“I don’t know. Jack’s always just said that he couldn’t. And because I’ve never been fussed, I’ve never really asked him anything more in depth.”

“I think we have to conclude that he can.”

“But _how_?”

“I could draw you a diagram perhaps?” Mac sassed. Phryne punched her friend lightly in the arm. “Medicine isn’t a complete science. We don’t know everything. If she can, and, as we can now see, so can he, then it was probably the combination of the two of them that meant it wasn’t happening. Nature is a very clever thing. And if it isn’t going to work, sometimes the woman’s body won’t let it, well, take. Do you know how hard it is to conceive? The miracle of birth is nothing as compared to the miracle of conception.” Mac paused, looking over at her best friend. Her very sensible, very cautious best friend when it came to her reproductive health. “But I do wonder how this has happened Phryne. The Pill you’re on, condoms…”

“Ah” said Phryne, in a small voice.

“Ah?” asked Mac,her eyes widening in horror.

“We’ve not been using condoms.”

“What? What the Fuck? You have always been so insistent. I mean, I know you’ve been with him for, what is it, four years? But Jesus Christ Phryne, either of you could have anything. To be blunt, _you_ could have anything.”

“We’re both fine.”

“How long have you been embracing this insanity?”

“Since a few months after he moved in. And we’ve been tested.”

“And you trust the results? That it was genuinely him that got tested?”

“It’s Jack, Mac! Besides, we were both in the same room when they took the blood sample, and had the physical exams. And I’m prepared to believe that he really did provide the urine sample himself.”

Mac took a very deep, very calm breath. At least Phryne had bothered to be sensible enough to check everything out. “So, no condoms then. But The Pill?”

“Yes. I mean, they did change it a few months back. There was some sort of alert about the previous one…”

“But the new one’s fine?”

“Well I thought so.”

“How long have you suspected?” asked Mac, still trying to figure it out. Phryne must be the unluckiest woman in the world. And Jack must have surprisingly determined sperm. Mac grimaced at the thought.

Phryne was speaking hesitantly. “Well the new Pill, I’d had a little bit of something like a period. Bloody annoying. I was going to go back to the doctor actually.”

“And?”

“And I got to the end of a packet, and I didn’t have any bleeding. So at first I just thought it was settling down, working like it’s supposed to. And then I felt a bit, queasy, and a bit tired and I was standing outside a cake shop on Acland Street, I can’t even remember which one, and I started crying because the icing was wonky on one of the vanilla slices. And I thought, well, I’ll take a test just to rule out anything extreme.”

“Oh bull! You don’t just take a pregnancy test on the off-chance.”

Phryne shrugged. “I don’t know Mac, I just felt, different? I can’t really explain it.”

“And the second test?”

“Didn’t really believe the first one.”

“Well I’m not sure I would have. The Pill should still work… oh hang on… you were ill… over Anzac weekend.”

“Yes?”

“And you took the full course of antibiotics?”

“Yes, I said, your nagging has worked.”

“To be blunt, did you have much sex?”

“No, Jack was working. We had a rather lovely evening, but it was one of our slow evenings…”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“We only, did, once.”

“OK.” Said Mac, “bloody heterosexuals” Mac added, murmuring quietly to herself. Always _so_ focused on the release of orgasm.

“We kept the frantic stuff for the weekend after.”

“Weekend after?”

“Our anniversary. Very nice hotel. Very nice hotel room. And hot tub. And woods, and lake. And the little boat.” A dreamy smile fell across Phryne’s face.

Mac tried not to roll her eyes. “That was the weekend after Anzac?”

“Yes.”

“And you were still taking the antibiotics?”

“Yes.”

“I dread to ask, but do you have any idea how many times you might have, erm, well….” Mac made a gesture that Phryne interpreted as ‘how many times did you have sex?’ and sat up to consider the matter.

Phryne cast her mind back. It had been a very, very lovely weekend. Jack had excelled himself with the choice of hotel. And she had been quite frisky. So had Jack. She focused and decided to start from the Friday morning.

Mac sat back and watched as Phryne focused intently, slowly counting on the fingers of both hands. As Phryne reached what was obviously ‘time 20’ in her recollection, Mac coughed, “and where are we up to?”

“End of Saturday.”

“Bloody hell. OK, you don’t need to count any further. I take it Sunday was similar?”

“Less, actually. Jack was a bit tired, he had a sleep on Sunday afternoon.”

“I’m not surprised. Blimey Phryne, how have you not just exhausted him?”

Phryne shrugged her shoulder. “He’s _very_ fit Mac. He looks after himself. He could cycle half way to Sydney without thinking anything of it.”

Mac decided it was time to steer the conversation back to the point in hand. “So, no condoms, a pill which would have been compromised by the antibiotics, and which your body was plainly still adjusting to. And a weekend that appears to have involved more fucking than a  Game of Thrones whore-house orgy scene. Yeah, I can see what’s happened here.”

“I’m scared Mac. What if I’ve done something wrong already?”

“OK, well we’ll sort you out. Don’t’ worry about the brie, the frantic sex can’t do any damage unless you get _very_ extreme with it. And don’t worry about the booze you’ve almost certainly not told me about either.”

“OK.”

“I am taking it that Jack doesn’t have a clue?”

“How do I tell him Mac? The woman who said she never wanted children, and the man who thinks he can’t.”

“Stranger things have happened. You have to tell him. He’s already worried about you.”

“Is he?”

“He is. I passed him in the hall on my way back from the car.”

“Oh.”

“Look, I know you are both as stubborn as mules sometimes. He won’t ask you directly what’s wrong, so you won’t directly tell him what’s happening. But this is one of those situations where it’s going to become apparent. And sooner rather than later.”

Phryne bit her lip. “What if Jack doesn’t want me to have it?” she asked quietly.

“Well I think that would have to be a somewhat abrupt 180 degree shift in terms of his position.”

“But…”

“No. Stop making excuses Phryne. _Tell_ him. He _wants_ kids. It will be fine.” Mac stood up and hugged her best friend.

Phryne pulled back, “Was it like this with Helen?”

“It was a little different. She was very excited, and bouncy, and dead keen to tell _him_.”

“And then it all went to shit?”

“And _then_ it all went to shit.”

Phryne went quiet.

Mac sighed, “I don’t _know_ but I’d rather presume that the VPF run background checks on anyone before they accept them into the force. And you’ve met Jack’s family. I think we can accept that he is who he says he is.”

“And at least I’ve met his wife. Former wife.”

“You have.” Mac paused, “Even when it went quite as badly as it did, Helen was very happy. Are you happy, Phryne?”

“I think I am, actually. I’ve had this week to get used to the idea. And it’s never what I’ve wanted, but life does surprise you, doesn’t it? It’s just another grand and glorious challenge. And I’m Phryne Fisher, I can do anything.”

“You can indeed. And you’ve got me, and you’ve got Jane, and you’ll have Jack. You’re stuck with all of us. Now, lets go and see who’s getting Douze Pointe.” Mac topped up the water jug before she ushered a bewildered and slightly tearful Phryne from the kitchen to the lounge. The voting was beginning.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please try and suspend your disbelief about Mac a) having a medical bag with her and b) having all that stuff in it...


	3. These are the results of the Melbourne jury...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phryne's got to say something, Jack's got to say something...

As Moldova delivered their results, Jane stumbled through the door and flopped onto the chaise.

“Good to see you’ve dressed for the occasion.” remarked Mac.

Jane pulled her dressing gown around her, covering her pink pyjamas. “This is too early. There’s a reason they repeat it tonight you know.”

“That’s what Kate said. You got a party to go to?” Mac asked, pouring a cup of coffee into the spare cup and offering it towards the young student.

Jane took the cup gratefully, smiling as she did, “Yeah.”

“And will Matt be there?” asked Jack, trying not to grind his teeth.

Jane blushed.

“Oh we can take that as a ‘yes’,” teased Mac.

Jack swallowed nervously. He’d somehow turned into something of a father figure to Jane, especially since he’d moved in just over two years ago. He often found himself being somewhat over-protective of the girl. It took every grain of resistance in his body not to run a background check for every young man whose name had been mentioned over the four years he’d been with Phryne. He had to remind himself that Jane was very sensible, that she knew self-defence, that she had a taxi account with Bert and Cec, and that he’d been giving her lessons in advanced driving techniques at the Police training track on weekends. He still worried.

Jane sat back and drank her coffee slowly as Armenia awarded 12 points to Russia, to no-one’s surprise.

On the sofa next to Jack, Phryne was quiet as she pulled her feet up, her knees resting under her chin. Occasionally she looked over at Jack and worried her lip with her teeth. What was he going to say? When should she tell him? What if he didn’t want to have it? What if he got angry? What if he shouted?

Jane leapt up and cheered when Sweden awarded twelve points to Australia. Phryne tried not to pout, the UK was doing very badly indeed.

The scoring globe rotated slowly to focus on Sydney. “YES!!!” cried Mac, jumping up from her chair and fist pumping as her favoured competitor received twelve points from her fellow countrymen.

Mac became more excited as the voting continued…

Jack idly checked Twitter and laughed.

“What?” asked Phryne.

“Oh, this tweet” Jack said, moving to hand her the phone.

Phryne shook her head, “read it out?”

 

**So, two failed telecasts? This is what happens when you build bridges instead of a decent communication network #Eurovision**

 

 

“I knew I loved the Brits!” Mac exclaimed once more as Nigella Lawson announced that the UK had awarded it’s twelve points to Sweden, sending them to the top of the leader board.

Jack reached his arm out, stroking Phryne’s shoulder. “You alright? You’re very quiet?”

Phryne nodded. Feeling a tear start to roll down her cheek, she swiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “Fine Jack, absolutely fine.” Phryne forced her mouth into a smile.

Sweden started to pull out into the lead. Australia were making a respectable show of their invitation to compete.

“I know the UK isn’t doing very well…”

“Jack, I’m fine.”

From his position on the sofa, Jack considered Phryne. There obviously wasn’t anything medically wrong with her; Mac would have taken her to hospital if there was anything serious. A bit of a headache or a temperature or an upset stomach or something was easily dealt with. She knew, he was absolutely convinced she knew, and just wanted him to get on with it. He wasn’t sure how she knew. Maybe she had found the ring?

It wouldn’t surprise him in the least if she had, had realised what he intended and just decided to put the ring back and ignore the situation. It would be so typically _Phryne_ to pretend that there was nothing going on. Maybe he shouldn’t ask? Maybe he just should? Maybe he should have asked her when they were away for their anniversary? But the perfect moment had never quite presented itself. And he had so wanted it to be perfect. He’d thought he could ask her when they went for the first walk in the woods, but she’d been so damned _frisky_ , and his intentions had been derailed.

Then he’d considered asking her last weekend. Admittedly not the most romantic of options, but he’d been sort of carried away around the notion of saying something about ‘Abbotsford _versus_ Collingwood becoming Abbotsford _and_ Collingwood’. And then _that_ had happened in the second quarter, when she’d managed to spirit him away from his family and their friends into an empty hospitality suite. She’d locked the door behind them, dropped her overcoat off her shoulders to the floor and shimmied out of her skirt. Then she’d shucked off her knickers and lifted the front of the Abbotsford Singlet to reveal that indeed, it was the only thing she was now wearing. And his jaw had dropped as Phryne had looked at him and said, ‘Now, Jack. How had you imagined it?’ When he had been too stunned to speak, to move or to close his mouth, Phryne had teasingly sighed before speaking again, ‘well come on Jack, this is “Abbotsford beating the arse off Collingwood”. This might _never_ happen again. I presume you’d imagined being able to see all the action?’ And then she’d turned, and braced herself against the back of one of the chairs in the suite and thrust her backside towards him. He’d got over his sense of bewilderment and decided he couldn’t love her more if he tried.

They’d been fooling absolutely nobody when they eventually returned to their seats in the main stand. Lizzie had gone so far as to lean into him to whisper ‘ _Really_ Jack, what the hell is wrong with you? At a football match?’. Jack had smiled, quirked an eyebrow at his sister and turned his attention back to the activities on the pitch. Abbotsford could lose every game for the rest of the season and he wasn’t sure if he’d care.

He was brought back to the here and now by Phryne becoming animated next to him.

“Oh come on, spit it out” cried Phryne, stabbing her hand towards the screen at Dmitry from Russia.

“Right,” said Jack, deciding that this was very far from any of the different options he’d considered, but that he’d just have to wing it. “Phryne, there’s something I need to ask you…” he started.

Phryne looked at Jack. He appeared to be sweating. Oh god, he knew. He knew and he wanted to confront her about it. Phryne looked over to Mac, meeting her friend’s eyes as she gave a small nod of her head towards the door. Jack looked over too, he needed Mac and Jane to leave the room. Or to get Phryne somewhere else.

Mac was remarkably on the ball. “Well, it looks like Sweden might have got this in the bag. Jane, didn’t you say you had some questions about your anatomy class?”

Jane looked at Mac with incredulity. “At this time?”

“No time like the present. Come on.” said Mac, practically shoving the girl out of the room, shutting the door behind her as she did.

A momentary silence fell. Jack slipped his hand into the pocket of his hoodie, hoping he was being subtle.

Phryne looked at Jack, she could feel her resolve beginning to crumble.

Jack reached for Phryne’s hand, placing it in his right hand before moving his left hand back into his pocket. As surreptitiously as he could manage, he edged his way towards the edge of the sofa. He looked away from Phryne for a moment as he focused his attention on the box inside his pocket, trying to work the lid loose.

Phryne felt Jack’s large hand cradling hers. He always made her feel so safe. Perhaps it would all be fine? She shut her eyes, deciding that she needed to try to calm herself down.

Jack began to speak, staring at Phryne’s shoulder, failing to even notice she had shut her eyes. “Phryne…” he began, feeling himself stumbling over his words already. He took a breath and attempted to compose himself. Allowing his internal monologue to give himself a small pep talk ‘come on Robinson, what’s the worst she can say?’, he huffed his cheeks out before returning to a regular breathing pattern and looking at Phryne. She had her eyes shut. Jack was half balanced on the edge of the sofa, awkwardly positioned between being seated on the cushions or properly balanced on one knee on the floor. Shaking her hand gently, Jack spoke again as Phryne opened her eyes. He tried again. “Phryne,”

“I’m pregnant.”

Jack felt his heart stop. He looked at Phryne, unable to speak with shock. Her eyes widened, with what Jack knew was fear and anxiety.

“Jack?” she pleaded. Oh god, he didn’t want it.

Having no clue what to say, Jack pulled Phryne to him and held her gently. He felt her sob, her body convulsing slightly as the tears began to fall. Jack’s mind raced at a thousand miles an hour.

This was precisely the second time in his life he had heard the words ‘I’m pregnant’ in these circumstances. Last time had been when Rosie had ‘just dropped by’ that evening and had spat the words out with both spite and relish. And he had looked at her and known that the child was not his. Good, solid, dependable Rosie who had been so keen to commit to him and so eager to have his child had been pregnant by someone else. And now here was Phryne, who didn’t want children, who had taken six months to be even slightly comfortable describing him as her boyfriend rather than just an enigmatic ‘this is Jack’ and who refused to commit to almost anything, telling him she was having his child. And he was, utterly, totally certain that it was his child. He was stunned.

Jack waited for the tears to subside, hearing the sniff that indicated a moment of calm. He carefully leant back, “Phryne, are you sure?” he asked, cautiously.

She nodded her head.

“But I can’t?”

“Three tests and Mac all say you can.”

“Right.” He said, still stunned. “Phryne, how has this happened?”

“Well if I have to tell you that Jack then we need to have a very shocking conversation.” Phryne sniffed again, taking the edge of her attempt at humour.

He rolled his eyes, the woman could be relied upon to sass him at any opportunity.

“Mac says the antibiotics would have messed with the Pill. And we spent an entire weekend _in bed_ Jack. I thought you knew? Mac said you knew. What did you want to ask me then?”

“Oh no, it’s nothing,” said Jack, feeling the front of his hoodie to check the ring box was still safely in place.

“You didn’t know?”

“That you’re pregnant? No.”

“So what were you going to ask?”

Jack moved his mouth in a series of waves, really sure that he didn’t want to say anything. He looked at Phryne with an expression of dread. It occurred to him suddenly, why she had looked so scared and been so quiet all week. And of course he’d completely mis-read the signals, such as they had been.

“I was trying to propose.”

“Propose what?”

“Erm, marriage?”

Oh, thought Phryne. _Oh_. “You don’t have to propose just because I’m pregnant.”

“I honestly didn’t know Phryne, that you were pregnant. I’ve been trying to find the perfect moment to ask you for the last month.”

“Why?”

Jack sighed, this was why this was a terrible idea. “Because I love you. Because I want to be your husband. Because I am committed to you, for the rest of my life, and I want the entire world to know that.”

Phryne was stunned. He hadn’t known. He _hadn’t_ known.

“I thought you knew. What I was trying to ask you. I thought that’s why you’d been acting, well, strange.” Jack said.

“I had no idea.”

“You’re pregnant.” said Jack, trying to remain calm.

“Yes.” confirmed Phryne.

Jack blinked, very slowly. He tried to find the words to ask the question he was very sure he didn’t want to hear the answer to. “How do you feel about that?”

Phryne swallowed. “I feel, nervous, and scared, and as if I have no idea what I’m doing. How do you feel?”

“I’m having to reassess quite a few things. I have no idea either. But we can figure it out together, yeah? And, I’m, happy. If you are?”

It occurred to Phryne that Jack was dancing around the issue of  whether she was keeping it. “I want to have the baby.”

Jack felt his heart lurch back to life with relief. “Oh thank god.”

“Jack?”

“Phryne, I would absolutely support you, whatever you decided. But I am so happy to hear you say that.”

Phryne nodded, finally feeling she could accept the situation. “I’m having a baby. We’re having a baby.”

“We are” said Jack, pulling Phryne to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed a kiss to her temple. He was going to be a father. Somehow, he thought he might have just fallen in love with Phryne even more. He felt himself welling up and tilted his head back slightly to try and stop the tears.

Phryne felt her heart swell in relief. He was happy about it. And nervous, and utterly surprised. And she was fairly sure that was shock she’d seen on his face. But he was sticking around. Realistically she would have been surprised if he’d decided to flee for the hills now, after everything they’d already been through. But life had taught Phryne that nothing was ever a given and that people could let you down when you most needed them.

‘Stuck with all of us’, Mac had said. It occurred to Phryne that she needed to decide, very quickly, how she felt about marriage generally, and marriage to Jack specifically. Well, she thought, she’d said to Mac that life was a grand and glorious challenge, and that she could do anything. Maybe she could do this? Jack had done this before, and he was obviously willing to try again. So it couldn’t be too bad could it?

“What about your question, Jack?” she whispered quietly.

Jack blinked his eyes. “What about it?”

“Well I’m not sure you ever really asked.” said Phryne. “Should I presume you had a plan, Jack?”

Jack gulped. Phryne was never deliberately cruel, and he thought she wouldn’t be telling him to ask if he didn’t stand a decent chance of hearing a positive response. Nodding minutely, he dug his hand into his pocket, and decided that he might as well try and embrace ‘romantic gesture’ fully.

He eased himself off the sofa, kneeling on his right knee. As he did so he reached into his pocket and revealed the box holding the ring. He took Phryne's left hand, before looking directly at her.

“Phryne,” he smiled, “I love you. I fall more in love with you every day. And just when I think I know what to expect from you, you always go and surprise me.” He was having to think on his feet now. “I want to be your husband. I want to stand at your side and support you through every unexpected challenge life delivers.” Jack paused, and managed to flick the ring box open. He rotated it so that Phryne could see the jewellery. “Phryne Fisher, will you marry me?”

Phryne looked at the ring. That looked antique. She had questions about it already. But they were for later. Right now Jack was looking like he still thought her answer could go either way.

Phryne looked at Jack, and cupped his cheek with her right hand. She leant forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. Staying a mere inch away from him she smiled as she answered. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Jack could feel himself beginning to tear up once more. He sniffed, wondering for a moment why he might try to hide his feelings at this moment. Deciding that Phryne had already seen him at a number of vulnerable points, he allowed the tears to fall.

“Yes, Jack. Yes, I will marry you.” Phryne saw the tears begin to fall down Jack’s cheeks and shed her last shred of resistance to doing the same.

Jack closed the gap between them, kissing Phryne gently. Phryne loosened the hand which was still held in Jack’s and wrapped it around his shoulder. Cautiously, Jack deepened the kiss, running his hand to Phryne’s waist, his other one holding the jewellery box still. Phryne broke the kiss first, her eyes wandering to the ring once more as she gasped through the tears.

Jack followed her gaze, blinking through his own tears. He released his grip on Phryne, and carefully removed the ring from the box, which he set down on the coffee table next to them. He took Phryne’s hand carefully, and slid the ring down her fourth finger, bending over to press his lips to her finger as the ring came to rest.

“Tell me about the ring?” Phryne asked.

Jack smiled. “It was my grandmother’s. My grandfather designed it, just for her. And after he proposed to her, she wore it every day. And then my mum inherited it.”

“And when was that?” Phryne didn’t really want to spoil the moment by asking a direct question.

On this question Jack could tell exactly what Phryne was really trying to ask. “My grandmother passed away, six years ago. And this is the first time anyone in my family has offered it to someone.”

“Well it’s good to know Eddie’s never been tempted by bigamy,” Phryne responded. So, not the ring that had been Rosie’s then. Phryne was more relieved by that than she expected to be.

“I could have tried to find something new, but I wanted something that meant a lot to me already. That means a lot to my family.”

“Well, thank you,” said Phryne.

Jack reached into the pocket of his jeans and produced the handkerchief he always carried. Gently, he wiped Phryne’s cheeks and jawline, before offering her the piece of cloth for her to use herself. She took it from him, wiped her eyes and loudly blew her nose before offering the handkerchief back to him. He laughed, “erm, keep it?”

Phryne nodded, smiling herself. Jack wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper, inhaling deeply through his nose in order to stem the flow of tears.

“Get up,” said Phryne, tugging Jack’s hand gently.

Jack got up from the floor, grimacing as his knee came back to life. Settling himself on the sofa, he turned to Phryne. “What do you want to tell people?” he asked, knowing that Phryne always liked to be in control of who knew what about her life and when.

Phryne considered for a moment. “You’re not supposed to say anything about, pregnancy, until 12 weeks are you? I think I’d like to keep quiet about it for the moment, at least until a doctor tells us it’s all OK.”

“Are you worried about that?”

“Mac says everything should be OK. Apparently actually getting pregnant is the difficult bit.”

“I still can’t quite believe it.”

“I can show you the test if you want.”

Jack smiled, “I wish I’d been there for that.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to be sure, before I said anything.”

“I understand Phryne, absolutely. But I promise I’ll be there for everything else.”

Phryne smiled and looked at her left hand, spreading her fingers to look at the ring on her finger. “I’m not sure I can hide this though.”

“If you don’t want to wear it, I understand. As long as we know the truth, that’s all that matters isn’t it?”

“No, no. I want to wear it. I am surprised it fits so well though.”

Jack smirked. “I borrowed one of your rings to take to the jeweller.”

“Did you now! How resourceful of you Jack.”

Jack acknowledged the compliment with a tilt of his head. “So we tell people we’re engaged?”

“Yes, we do. Expect Aunt P to place an advert in The Argus.”

“I think I can cope with that. Expect my mum to cry.”

Jack cradled Phryne’s head in his hand, pulling her to him to kiss her once more. As their lips touched the lounge doors flew open.

“Sweden’s won!” cried Jane.

Mac ran in behind Jane, a massive grin on her face. She froze when she saw the couple on the sofa, They had both plainly been crying; their faces were red and puffy.

“Phryne? Jack?” asked Jane, bewildered at the way Phryne and Jack were looking at each other.

Phryne looked at Jack and smiled as she nodded her head at him in what she hoped was encouragement.

“We’ve got something to tell you.” He said.

“What?” asked Jane.

“Yes, what?” asked Mac, trying to sound neutral.

Jack took hold of Phryne’s hand and squeezed it gently.

“We’re getting married!” Jack said.

“What?” exclaimed Jane.

“What?” said Mac, in utter disbelief.

“Oh this is amazing!” said Jane, bending over to hug Phryne and Jack.

“That is certainly one word for it,” said Mac.

Dressed as impeccably as ever, Mr Butler entered the room, with Mrs Butler close behind him.

"Miss, Sir, congratulations. Perhaps we should have a toast?”

“Oh, I’m not sure…” Phryne started to say, realising she was going to have to make excuses for why she was avoiding alcohol. And pâté. And Brie.

“Unfortunately, due to a terrible oversight on the part of myself and Mrs Butler, we don’t have any champagne in the wine store at the moment. I hope this non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice will suffice instead?” Mr Butler tilted his head slightly, as if seeking to reassure his employers. Phryne was speechless; somehow The Butlers always knew exactly what was needed at any given moment.

Mr Butler handed the glasses around and everyone toasted the happy couple as Måns Zelmerlöw reprised his winning song.


End file.
